Mencius Quotes on Justice
Mengzi, conventionally known in the West as Mencius, was a Chinese Confucian philosopher of the fourth century BC, traditionally regarded as the second sage of the Confucian tradition after Confucius himself. This page collects quotes attributed to Mencius on the topic of justice, drawn from across the philosopher's works.
Quotes
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Attributed to Mencius:
“Benevolence is man's heart, righteousness is man's path.”
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“Variant translation: The sense of compassion is the beginning of benevolence; the sense of shame the beginning of righteousness; the sense of modesty the beginning of decorum; the sense of right and wrong the beginning of wisdom. Man possesses these four beginnings just as he possesses four limbs. Anyone possessing these four and saying that he can not do what is required of him is abasing himself. Yao Dan, translated by Li Ziliang, Li Guoqing and Zhao Feifei, Chinese Literature: From 'The Book of Songs' to 'A Dream of Red Mansions' (Beijing: China Intercontinental Press, 2006), p. 24”
The feeling of commiseration is the beginning of humanity ; the feeling of shame and dislike is the beginning of righteousness; the feeling of deference and compliance is the beginning of propriety; and the feeling of right or wrong is the beginning of wisdom. Men have these Four Beginnings just as they have their four limbs. Having these Four Beginnings, but saying that they cannot develop them i -
“The sense of mercy is found in all men; the sense of shame is found in all men; the sense of respect is found in all men; the sense of right and wrong is found in all men.”
The Mencius | 6A:6 -
“Benevolence brings under its sway whatever hinders its power, just as water subdues fire: they only doubt the power of water to quench flames who try to extinguish with a cupful a whole burning wagon-load of fagots.”
Nitobe Inazō, Bushido: The Soul of Japan , 13th ed. (1908), pp. 38–39